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... there will be a virtually unlimited number of potential interpretations of that data. Some will just be more plausible than others.
Frankly, my dear, ... Was Bush the only one who entered studying the floor and not shaking hands with those already on the first riser? From examining the clips Shaw has, I can't honestly say. It did appear to me that Bush did acknowledge, and was acknowledged by, some on that first riser, although, clearly, no handshakes were exchanged. I imagine one would have to still the film and examine it frame by frame to see where eye contact might have been made, or words exchanged. I think it's fair to argue that the cropped version of the film supports a theme many would want to accept. And, IMHO, by using a longer bit of film, Shaw makes a credible case for a different interpretation.
Yes, there are many possible interpretations. Bush may have put the word out that he didn't want to shake hands because there was no handy aide with a bottle of hand sanitizer around. But even his BFF Silvio Berlusconi doesn't seem to want to make eye contact. Barroso shakes hands with those before and after Bush but seems to look right through Bush. Only Gordon Brown seems to exchange more than a word with Bush and be willing to look in his direction. Angela Merkel clearly does not want to make eye contact with Bush and looks practically anywhere else. Zapatero seems to acknowledge Bush with a nod of the head but has his hands firmly behind his back to obviate any possibility of shaking hands.
I can't say anyone else's interpretation is wrong — there are too many factors that are unknown and may not be expressed by the film clip. But what the film clip shows is unmistakable: No one shakes hands with Bush; Bush does not offer to shake hands with anyone. Bush proceeds doggedly, for the most part with his head down as if he is indeed absorbed in trying to find his mark without tripping over his shoelaces, and exchanges remarks with perhaps two people of the seven or eight that he files past. Either it's all random and coincidenty, or else no one is interested in making a fuss over Bush and Bush is not interested in giving anyone any recognition. What happens is clear — how and why are different questions.
